Believing
by Aralka
Summary: I never believed in this thing called fate. Soulmates, destiny, miracles...Such things don't happen. Even on christmas. Because they simply don't exist. As for my encounter with Ino Yamanaka, I'd rather think it was a mere coincidence.
1. Prologue: Not believing

A/N: To be honest, I didn't plan on writing a Christmas fic. I already have a long list of stories I'd like to write. But then, I got this idea and I decided that it's worth a try. Especially that, although it's multi-chapter, it won't be very long.

This crappy prologue of an equally crappy fic is dedicated to an extremely talented artist, great friend and my fellow ShikaIno supporter, Az. Her birthday is tomorrow (2nd December) so, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AZ! Congrants on surviving schoolies and good luck with everything!

Minna-san, review, please!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Many people believe destiny is a fixed timeline of events that is inevitable and unchangeable.

Some believe that they choose their own destiny by choosing different paths throughout their life.

Others don't believe in it at all.

_I never believed in this thing called fate. Soulmates, destiny, miracles... Call it whatever you want. Such things just don't happen, not even on Christmas. Because they simply don't exist._

_For example, let's say you're in the middle of the street and you're about to sneeze. While you're looking for a tissue in your bag, your other half walks by, completely unnoticed by you, as you were busy looking for the tissue in your bag._

_And what next? You're doomed to spend the rest of your life alone, not even knowing that your happiness was so close to you?_

_Then again, if you won't look for the damn tissue, some handsome stranger/cute girl won't be able to offer you their own tissue and you might never meet them again. Which one was your true soulmate, anyway, and how you're supposed to know? And even if you knew, you won't know what other choice you missed._

_The theory that God has lives planned for everyone, every detail written in a damn 'Fate Book' or something, is also highly unbelievable. I doubt that God would take his time (Then again, he has basically all eternity for himself...Hell, I doubt time even exists for God), sit down and write down everyone's path of life and then direct us through it till the very end as he pleases._

_If the damn book exists after all, then what's the point of having 'free will'? I might as well just lie down and wait for all things that I'm destined to experience, happen to me. Which, in such a case, would be death from thirst, hunger and laziness. _

_It's too troublesome thinking that we have our lives already designed by some freakin' supernatural power and there's nothing we can change, no matter how much our life sucks. No, thank you, I'd rather get off my lazy ass from time to time and make some effort to make my life the way I want it to be._

_One of my friends though, believes whole heartedly in the 'destiny and fate theory'. His name is Neji Hyuuga and ever since I remember, he's been using those two words on every, possible occasion. Whether it's the impact his hard childhood had on him or he was just born like this, Neji believes that no matter how hard we try, people can't change. If you're born a genius, you will die as a genius. If you're born a loser, you will die as a loser._

_It's a great example of pure idiotic logic. If people couldn't change, they wouldn't even make any troublesome effort to try, because what for? It won't change anything, so why bother? Many people do try and succeed. Even if it's just step by step, gradual, almost unnoticeable progress, they do change. And you can see it all around you. Hell, even animals change their behavior, depending on surroundings and the way they're being treated, so why not people?_

_Neji also changes but even if you point it out to him, he'll say he's always been like this, because it was his destiny to be like this. Or something like that._

_Of course, I have no material proof that destiny doesn't exist. But there's also no proof that it does exist. _

_However, as for my encounter with Ino Yamanaka, I'd rather think it was a mere coincidence.

* * *

_

A/N: Was I too sarcastic or bitter? I know this prologue is damn short but there's nothing more I could write. The next chapters won't be like this and they'll be longer.

Even though it's short, I managed to do two things I swore I'd never write. One: I wrote the whole chapter in some character's POV.

Second: AU. (Alternative Universe. Go figure.)

The only thing left I swore not to write (except pairings I don't like) is lemon, lime etc. I'm scared just thinking about what it means.

You know, when everything was already planned out, I realized that it suits ShikaIno and SasuIno. I like both pairings a lot (Still, ShikaIno is my top fave) so I was a bit hesitant on which I should decide. In the end, it's Shikamaru and Ino for me (influenced also by the recent chapters of Naruto)

REVIEW or Santa won't bring you any presentsJ


	2. Chapter 01: Coincidence

A/N: Everyone, thank you for the reviews! I hope this chapter won't disappoint you ;)

Now, this one is special. Why? Because OVER 50 fanfiction members added me to their favorite authors list! THANK YOU, MINNA-SAN! I can only promise I'll do my best and try not to disappoint you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

_This is too much of a coincidence to be a coincidence._

* * *

"How troublesome."

The sentence ended with a dry cough, followed by a sudden sneeze, which Shikamaru didn't bother to block, thus making an army of germs spread freely into his currently empty apartment.

_Being sick sucks,_ the man concluded, leaning down on his pillows again and wincing at the dull pain that throbbed in his throat. Warily, he closed his eyes, feeling a drip of sweat slowly travel from his forehead, down his neck and soaking his already moist shirt. His temperature still hadn't subsided.

The only profit he got from this torment was that he didn't have to work and no matter how much his boss bitched about it, there was nothing he could do. He could finally laze around freely, a fact he gladly took advantage of, by not leaving his bed for two days now, sweating, coughing and sneezing simultaneously and if he could keep it up for about a week, he'll get no working till after Christmas. Genius.

_Where the hell is that Naruto?_

As a young bachelor (and no plans of changing that in the nearest future), with his parents living on the opposite side of a very large city- at times like this, Shikamaru was pretty much dependant on his so-called friends. His social skills, or rather the lack of such, weren't helping much either, resulting with him having only few, but fully trusted companions from early childhood. Who, by the way, were living in various parts of town, none of them near Shikamaru's apartment.

Just then, the clock struck five p.m., making Naruto exactly two hours late and efficiently wiping off Shikamaru's last bits of hope to avoid death from starvation.

Naruto was in most convenient situation to visit him, seeing he just had to leave the bus few stops earlier when he was coming back from work and even on winter, it's simply _impossible_ for a bus to be two hours late. The option that he was simply held a bit longer in work was even more impossible, seeing that his boss couldn't stand more than the standard eight hours in the hyper blonde's company, without blasting a chair through the window.

Shikamaru bitterly realized that even though his buddy visited yesterday, it looked like today the blonde simply didn't bother. He was already an hour late, not caring if Shikamaru was _dying _fromstarvation and the lack of medical care or not.

_Figures he'd forget about it after a day. Although, you'd think that Sakura, being a doctor and his girlfriend, would make sure that he'd visit an ill pal._

Shikamaru was just about to decide that ramen was, in fact, a really delicious meal and was on the verge of getting up and crawling to the fridge to get a bowl of that (literally) rotten soup, when moment the sound of lock being opened and swiftly closed, echoed in his apartment. Soon, Shikamaru heard the rustling of clothes, obviously dusting off the snow and then thumping of shoes, doing just the same.

Inwardly, Shikamaru sighed with relief and his gaze traveled towards the half-closed door of his bedroom, waiting for the characteristic, spiky orange-yellow hair to pop in, holding a steaming cup of fresh ramen.

And a blonde he got, however, instead of short spikes in an intense sun color, long, light yellowish strands of hair cascaded, few of them gracefully curving on the level of _her_ shoulders the rest falling down till the waist, some in front, some on the back. Big blue eyes stared at him curiously, when the person stepped inside his room, purple coat unzipped, violet scarf loosely hanging of _her _neck and a dark blue, woolen hat in one hand.

That was all Shikamaru noticed, getting a quick, nevertheless proper look, but it was enough to deduct that the person that just entered his room, wasn't Naruto.

It was an outrageously attractive young woman, around his age.

Her azure orbs made eye contact with his brown ones and she fired off a brilliant smile in his direction. "Hello there. What should I do with the coat and the rest? I left the boots by the door, but I don't know where I could put these, especially since they're all wet..."

"Hang them above the heater in the bathroom." Shikamaru replied automatically and the woman disappeared, leaving him with doubts if she wasn't, by any chance, a delusion created by the high temperature.

Again, the door creaked and the blonde walked in, dressed only in white shirt and tight, fitting jeans, confirming that she was, in fact, one hundred percent real. That friendly smile was still lingering on her face, getting bigger as she neared him.

"Hello again. I'm Yamanaka Ino; Sakura's friend. Neither she nor Naruto can look after you for the next few days, so she asked me to drop in and make sure you're taken proper care of."

"Shikamaru Nara." The man cracked, wincing at the sound of his voice. "Why can't they come?"

"You won't believe it, but Naruto won a three-day trip for two somewhere in the mountains. However, the trip reservation starts today so, if they didn't want to waste the tickets, they had to go real quick. Sakura even called her boss in the middle of the night and luckily, got three days free from work!" Her sentence ended with a small splash and both of them looked down to see Ino's foot right in the middle of small puddle.

"Ugh. Must've been from my coat, when I was standing there. I'll clean it up."

Shikamaru remained silent, watching the blonde go to his kitchen, probably looking for some piece of fabric. He warily observed the happy, energetic spring in her steps as she shuffled around the kitchen, going through every drawer. _She made herself at home in no time, alright_, he thought, watching the puddle disappear in mere seconds, quickly and efficiently wiped off.

"There." Ino said, satisfied. She looked around a bit, judging his apartment. Her nose wriggled in obvious disapproval. "Boy, this place wasn't cleaned for ages, that's certain."

"I barely have strength to go to the toilet." Shikamaru defended himself, leaving out the information that he _never_ cleaned too often, so it didn't really matter.

"Hmmm..." Ino hummed thoughtfully, slowly sitting down on his bed. "It's true, you don't look very well..."

The low temperature of her fingers made a big contrast to his heated skin and the Nara closed his eyes at the relief when some of the warmth from his forehead traveled to her cold hand. The hunger was immediately forgotten, especially after his heart did few somersaults, thus increasing the flow of blood particularly in his cheeks.

"You have a nasty temperature. Do you take any medicine?"

Shikamaru wordlessly pointed to the table, standing by the bed with small, white box.

Ino picked it up and studied it carefully. "Where did you get this from?"

"Naruto brought it yesterday. He said it was the best medicine ever and I had nothing else, anyway...What? Something wrong with it?"

"Everything, unless you have a hangover. Then it's fine."

Shikamaru blinked, trying to process the date she provided him. "What?"

The blonde handed him the box. "Those are painkillers. Very effective especially for hangovers. You're saying that Naruto brought you this?"

Her companion sank into the pillows, letting out a painful sigh. "Yea."

"So, Sakura was right when she told me that her boyfriend couldn't even take proper care of himself and if it weren't for her, he'd be dead in less then a day." Ino mused, shaking her head a bit. "I really don't know what she sees in that guy."

Another sudden and painful fit of coughing sent Shikamaru to a sitting pose and Ino looked at him sharply, with obvious concern. Her hand sneaked behind his back, supporting him and gently massaging in a feeble attempt to reduce the pain.

"Looks really serious. You sure you don't need to see a doctor?"

"Positive." Shikamaru wheezed, lying down again. "I've been worse, believe me."

Blue eyes eyed him suspiciously and warily, before Ino decided he sounded honest enough to believe. "Wait a bit, alright? I'll be right back." She grabbed her coat, slipped on her boots and she was gone, before Shikamaru could form any protest.

True to her word, Ino came back in less than five minutes, panting heavily and with a small, plastic bag in one hand. She disappeared from his line of sight for a moment, probably going to the bathroom to leave the coat.

"Here." She'd said, handing him a glass of water and some colorful pills. "Swallow it. It should help a lot and you'll be up in no time, trust me."

Shikamaru eyed the pill. "Just now, you went out only to buy it?"

"Well, yes. I don't think you can cure a cold only by painkillers and lying down, ne? And the sooner you start the recovery, the better."

The man obeyed, swallowing the pill and emptying the glass in one, big gulp.

The blonde observed him, calmly waiting until he was finished. She looked around again, taking in the details of his room.

"It looks kinda empty in here, too. I think a few plants would do the trick. Especially with big, intense green leaves...It'd look really nice against the white walls. Haven't you thought of that?"

"No, not really." Shikamaru confessed. "What, are you a professional decorator?"

Ino laughed quietly, a clear, ringing sound. "No. Right now, I'm looking for the perfect job and until I find it, I'm working a part-time job as a florist. I know what magic flowers can do."

His throat wasn't hurting so much anymore. Shikamaru closed his eyes, listening to Ino's voice with caution and trying his best to remember most of it. He really wanted to know her better...And not only because she was probably going to be the only human being he'll see in the next few days.

She paused for a moment. "Sleep is the best medicine." He heard her saying and contemplated, whether he should let her know that he wasn't asleep. He decided against it when a warm blanket went up to his chin, pillows under his head got re-arranged a bit as well. He squirmed a bit, going into more comfortable pose.

"I'll cook you a nice, warm meal and clean up a little, alright? And you just sleep. When you wake up, you should feel much, much better." He felt one of her hands move over his chest, smoothing out the folds while gently tracing it.

She left and Shikamaru let his muscles unwind, nerves relaxing totally. His breathing got slower, deeper with each second and his eyelids got heavier and heavier. He focused one more time on the person shuffling around in his kitchen, his brain already barely hanging on consciousness.

_Good thing I chose to make it white; the purple looks really well against it. You know Ino, when you stand in the kitchen like this, you look like someone's young wife...or something..._

He let his eyes close totally_. The hell am I thinking? Must be the temperature...or that medicine talking..._

And that was the last conscious thought Shikamaru had before his brain finally shut down, demanding some decent rest.

When he woke up hours later, Ino was nowhere to see and the only evidence she was there, were a neatly cleaned apartment, the bowl of still-warm noodle soup by his bed and a note, with a promise that she'd be back tomorrow.

* * *

A/N: Everyone, what I'm about to write right now is really important. To me, at least.

How to put it...I think I'm having something I'd call a 'writer's depression'. I think my stories are just getting worse and worse, especially when it comes to describing two people fall in love. I just...can't put it right. I think I'm either taking it too fast or just the symptoms are not so clear.

Now, the thing is, I've never been in love. That's not so bad, seeing I'm still only fifteen. Sure, I thought a few times something like 'wow, he's really good-looking!' about guys. However, it wasn't love or close to it. It lasted for few moments, a day at max. So, all my knowledge comes from movies and books. Go figure. So, basically...the point is, in my stories, I need to imagine how it feels like, how we react, how our body reacts (hormones...that stuff.) and so on. As I wrote before, I don't think I'm doing it in the right way. I don't think it sounds realistic at all! Please, review and tell me if I'm doing it alright.

Or maybe I should give up writing until I grow up. I'm still a kid, dreaming about real love right now; and settling for writing romantic stories with my favorite characters from manga/anime. So, tell me what do you think. It's really essential for me to know.

Oh, and I'll try to update this fanfic weekly. I'm planning to finish it this year; last chapter on Christmas, the epilogue on New Year's.


	3. Chapter 02: Destiny

**_READ THIS!_**

A/N: Guys, BIG ARIGATO to everyone who reviewed. I've been feeling kinda down lately, seriously considering committing suicide by cutting my wrists. I don't think anyone close to me noticed. School's been hard for me and life was hectic in general. And Christams is soon, everyone was so happy, excited, the darn 'Jingle bells' song everywhere...while I moped. It sucked.

You know what prevented me from killing myself?

One: I'm a chicken and coward who's afraid of death.

Two: Everyone who reviewed/faved/alerted my stories.

The recent reviews were long and full of encouraging words...It helped me pull through. Because I thought I can't leave you behind like that. And I love you all. So, thanks a bunch. I'll carry on writing as long as you read and review.

_One meets his destiny often in the road he takes to avoid it._

* * *

_Angels we have heard on high,_

_Sweetly singing o'er the plain,_

_And the mountains in reply,_

_Echo back their joyous strains_

The gentle sounds, softly echoing inside his head, slowly woke Shikamaru up from his pleasant nap. He opened his eyes leisurely, glancing to the radio, standing in the corner of his living room, perfectly visible from his spot on the bed.

_Glo...o-ria, in excelsis Deo,_

_Glo...o-ria, in excelsis Deo..._

A familiar female voice accompanied the chorus from the radio and Shikamaru's lips slowly stretched in a delighted grin.

_Shepherds, why this jubilee?_

_Why your joyous strains prolong?_

_Say what may the tidings be,_

_Which inspire your heavenly song._

It was already the third day Ino accompanied him in his sickness and Shikamaru quickly concluded, just on the second day, that his life, albeit a bit too exciting for his preferences (he really didn't want to hear again his fire alarm going off, when Ino accidentally burned his meant-to-be dinner), was never that enjoyable.

Despite the variance in personalities- perfectly visible in practically everything they did- the two of them got along surprisingly well. When she came back yesterday, they talked almost all the time, constantly finding new topics that needed to be discussed. Shikamaru shared some funny stories from his and Naruto's work, chuckling loudly even at the oldest ones, simply infected by her laugh.

Ino told him how she got to meet Naruto, Sakura and the rest and what working as a florist was really like. And him, a guy who couldn't tell apart tulips and roses and always thought that all plants were nothing but useless weeds, actually found it fascinating. But maybe it was the way she chatted about it animatedly, eyes glowing with enthusiasm- a feeling totally unknown to him.

Either way, flowers won't be the same for him, never again.

_Glo...o-ria in excelsis Deo,_

_Glo...o-ria in excelsis Deo..._

With the notes still falling from her lips in a melodious voice, Ino's voice died out as the song slowly faded, replaced by a weather broadcast, which was promptly ignored by both of them. Turning down the radio, the woman stepped into his bedroom, both hands holding steaming bowls on a big, colorful trey with a mouth-watering aroma.

"It's about time you woke up, sleepyhead!" She laughed loudly, in a slightly teasing matter. "Honestly, you're sleeping too much. It's starting to worry me; I mean, I don't think I sleep that much in a week!"

Shikamaru decided not to comment that, his whole attention focusing on his meal. "What's today for dinner?"

Ino gave him a small wink, placing the trey on the small table. All the bowls were covered with a plate.

Shikamaru's brows furrowed a bit, noticing something was certainly in the air.

"It's a surprise. Alright, one...two...three...Ta-daaam!"

Swiftly as always, Ino picked up each plate, leaving the dish exposed to Shikamaru's eyes, which quickly grew round.

"You made..."

"Mackerel and kelp. Your favorite."

Shikamaru's eyes went back to their original size and he made a show to appear the stoic, emotionless male on the outside, but his insides were melting, touched greatly by that small, simple gesture of affection. He mumbled something incoherent, wracking his brain to find suitable words that would express gratitude and let him keep his reputation intact at the same time.

He found none. Everything seemed either sickeningly sweet or too far-fetched.

"Thanks. You didn't need to go through all that trouble, y'know..." He mumbled quietly, brown eyes staring deeply into her blue orbs, efficiently showing everything their owner just couldn't say.

Ino just smiled warmly at him and suddenly embarrassed, Shikamaru shifted his eyes to the steaming meal, mildly wondering would it be rude if he started eating now.

"Of course I had to go through all that trouble. It's like a medicine; my mom used to make me my favorite meal every time I was sick. It's like a must!" Her hand reached out and patted his cheek gently. "Now, eat up; I'm having the afternoon shift in the flower shop today, so I'll be going."

He took small bites, tasting the dish carefully as he watched her putting the purple coat on. A small wave of pale hand- and she was gone for another twenty-four hours.

The bite he just took grew a bit larger when he tried to swallow it and it stayed for a while in the middle of his throat as an uncomfortable lump.

It's been so long since he ate mackerel and kelp. His mother rarely prepared it, claiming it took too much effort and time, and to be honest, Shikamaru wouldn't have it any other way. It just made it a whole lot more special.

Till now, the Nara didn't realize how big impact food could have on him, snickering silently to himself when his best friend praised snacks to heaven and higher.

_In your case, it's more like who prepared the meal_. A tiny voice sounded in his head and Shikamaru gave a lopsided grin. True. After months of living alone, it was much more than pleasant change when he had someone like Ino, who cared for him, who treated him like he was really, _really_ important to her.

With every bite he took, Shikamaru felt elation swell inside him more and more, changing his heart to a drum of some heavy-metal band. Warmth spread all around his system and he felt strangely light-hearted; the feeling was impossible to compare to anything he felt before.

_If this is like to be sick,_ a fleeting thought passed his mind, _I never want to be healthy again._

The dishes were already dumped in the sink, patiently waiting for someone less lazy than him to wash them. Shikamaru glanced up from the book he'd been reading for past three hours, looking at the clock.

Seven p.m. Four hours passed since Ino left and there were still nineteen hours to kill before she comes again.

With a heavy sigh, Shikamaru gloomily realized the feeling that was steadily growing inside him.

He missed Ino.

Of course, as soon as this fact was acknowledged by him, his 200 IQ brain started to analyze thoroughly reasons for such reactions.

I mean, since when did he care for her enough to miss after mere four hours of absence?

Shikamaru Nara wasn't known to be a sentimental man. He moved out from his parents' house as soon as he found a suitable apartment for himself and didn't bother to pay them visits more often than special occasions, like his father's and mother's birthday. Heck, he rarely even called, waiting for the call from his mother instead!

However, the truth was that he missed a woman he met just three days ago. And he missed her to the point he actually counted the hours till he sees her again.

_So, what's the conclusion, genius? And don't you have anything better to think about, anyway? _

Before Shikamaru could answer himself, the door slammed open and a trail of cursing followed next.

Curious beyond everything, Shikamaru got up just in time to witness no other than Ino Yamanaka standing on his doormat, with blond hair tangled and red cheeks. Her clothes were positively wet, with small piles of snow here and there, which she kept stubbornly shaking off.

"You won't believe what a blizzard there is outside! I barely got here in one piece!" She exclaimed, waving the blue hat and sending snow all over the entrance.

Shikamaru automatically looked outside the nearest window to see a spectacular battle of raw forces of nature outside. He shuddered slightly, glad beyond anything that he could stay home.

"It's so strong that I couldn't keep on walking. Good thing my flower shop is so near your place." At that point, she stopped petting the coat, since all the snow was either on the carpet or melted. She looked up to him, big, blue eyes staring sincerely into his. "Mind if I crash in for the night?"

"Sure. No problem."

A relieved smile appeared on her face. "Thanks. I would never make it to my home at this rate. You put the dishes in the sink?" She proceeded to the kitchen, absentmindedly handing him her coat and hat, which he deliberately took and hang in the bathroom. Soon, the sound of water splashing could be heard from the other room and the radio was turned up.

Shikamaru returned to his room, picking up the book with a small smile playing on his face, never fading especially when he stole few, short glances on the blonde by the sink.

Looks like it was just as it was supposed to be.

And Shikamaru didn't mind at all.

_And now, our traditional winter song..._

_Dashing through the snow _

_In a one horse open sleigh _

_Over the fields we go _

_Laughing all the way _

_Bells on bop tails ring _

_Making sprits bright _

_What fun it is to _

_Ride and sing a sleighing song tonight_

_Jingle Bells _

_Jingle Bells _

_Jingle all the way _

_Oh what fun it is to ride _

_In a one horse open sleigh..._

A loud groan of discomfort could be heard. "No way! Not that song!"

The radio was turned off and Shikamaru neared the blonde, one hand drying off the plate with a piece of fabric, finishing the troublesome deed Ino made him to do.

"Why not?" 

She pursed her lips. "I hate it."

"How can you hate 'Jingle bells'?" The man asked, obviously shocked.

"Blame Kiba. He invented his own version of this song and every damn time he got drunk, he sang it to me. It was enough to leave a small trauma behind."

Imagining Kiba's voice, which strangely resembled barking of a dog, singing his own version of 'Jingle bells' was enough to make Shikamaru chuckle in understatement. "Hey, I didn't hear his version before. And he got drunk a few times with me."

Ino grumbled slightly under her breath, hand still resting on the radio. "I bet he does it only to annoy me. And his dog barking with the melody...Stupid flea-bag."

"Akamaru or Kiba?"

"Both."

So busy glaring at the radio, Ino didn't notice her companion come closer, until her hand was covered by a bigger and warmer one. "Sing it."

Her body temperature rapidly rising and nerves tensing, Ino found her mind clear enough to utter one, simple word: "What?"

"Sing it." He repeated, glancing encouragingly into her eyes and giving her fingers a brief squeeze. "I'm curious what Kiba's is version like. Knowing him, I can expect everything."

"Oh, you have no idea." She took a small breath and exhaled. "Well...Alright, but only this once. Listen carefully because I'm not doing this again. Never. Ever."

She inhaled deeply and hesitatingly slipped her hand away from Shikamaru's grasp, with small twinge of embarrassment feeling it covered in a light layer of sweat.

_Ginger beer, ginger beer, _

_Drinking all the way_

_Oh what fun it is to ride_

_With an alcohol inside!_

_A day or two ago, _

_I thought I'd take a ride_

_And soon Miss Warka Strong _(Polish kind of beer)

_Was seated by my side!_

_The horse was lean and drunk._

_Hangover seemed his lot._

_And in his own beer he sank and we, we got upsot!_

_Ginger beer, ginger beer, _

_Drinking all the way_

_Oh what fun it is to ride_

_With an alcohol inside!_

_Beer in our veins_

_Flowing as we ride_

_Over the cat we go_

_Swerving from side to side_

_Per mills are rising fast_

_Making spirits bright_

_What fun it is to drink and sing a drunken song tonight!_

And it was up till this point Ino managed to sing, when Shikamaru couldn't help himself and broke down laughing, both hands clenching his ribs.

"Enough." He choked out. "I can see where it's going."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Ino laughed good-heatedly as well, with amusement observing Shikamaru's body shake with muffled laughter.

She hadn't thought that such stupid songs could be that enjoyable.

"Owww..." He wheezed, taking deep, calming breaths. "I can barely stand. My knees are weak."

"Well then, go to sleep already! You're still not healthy, remember!" With a gentle push, Ino guided him to his bedroom.

That's when Shikamaru realized there was one _big_ problem that needed to be solved now.

"Ah, Ino...I have only one bed and a terribly uncomfortable couch, so this night I'll sleep in the living room. You take the bed."

Ino's crystal blue eyes blinked at him. "No way, you're sick! Good sleep is the key to fast recovery!"

He rolled his eyes a bit. _Why is it whenever you want to make real effort, woman refuse to accept it?_ "Look, Ino; you're the guest and-"

"And as guest I get to chose where I'll sleep. And I chose the couch in the living room."

He looked at her sternly, clearly ready to argue more.

Ino took the matters in her own hands. "Look, Shikamaru. You were sick and sleeping in that bed for days. It's full of germs and there's no way I'm sleeping in it. End of the discussion, now go to sleep."

"You can find bed sheets in the closet." He murmured, giving up to such strong argumentation, before closing the door to his bedroom.

His eyes lazily following the slim silhouette of a woman's moving around his living room, visible behind the glass in his door. Shikamaru fall asleep almost instantly...

...Only to awake in the middle of the night with his nose frozen cold.

Scowling, the man rubbed it a bit, trying to release some of the numbness. It helped; a bit, but it helped.

With no surprise, he touched the heater by his bed only to find it cold. The heating went off again...

No surprise; it happened almost always on stormy weathers, and especially often during winter. He should've predicted it from the yesterday's blizzard.

Covering his nose with a fluffy blanket, Shikamaru got ready to drift away into Dreamland again.

_Ino._

His eyes snapped open in alarm.

Ino for sure had no idea just how troublesome the heating in his apartment is, especially on cold weathers. She's probably covered in a light bed sheet and nothing more, leaving her practically vulnerable to freezing temperature and air that seemed to fill every part of his home.

Determined, Shikamaru throw away blankets and everything he'd been sleeping under, bravely surpassing a shiver when his body made sudden contact with the cold air, grimacing only slightly when bare feet touched the wooden floor. With the fluffy blanket curled under his arms, he strolled right to the couch, anxiously bending over it to get a better glimpse at the sleeping woman.

And as expected, she was shivering and curled up, gripping the bed sheets tight all around her body in a feeble attempt to warm up a bit.

From the distressed look on her face and the iciness of her skin, it wasn't working so well.

Shikamaru covered her up to her chin with the blanket, bending over her again to carefully tucking her and blocking all possible passages for the chilly air.

_It's no use,_ he realized, still bent over the couch with his arms on Ino's both sides, _no matter how much I try, it'll still take at least an hour to warm up on her own._

He watched her serene face for a moment and the steady breathing that made her chest rise and fall regularly.

Suddenly, his bed wasn't so inviting anymore and his gaze fell on the empty spot beside the blonde, gazing at it with longing. His back would be killing him in the morning, but...

_She can't warm up on her own,_ Shikamaru reasoned, while slipping under the cover and blanket. _I've been nothing but trouble to her and she came here, doing all those stuff for me...like cooking me that dinner today and cleaning, asking for nothing in return...the least I can do is save her from pneumonia._

When his hands slipped around Ino's slim waist, Shikamaru realized with mild surprise that he wasn't cold anymore. Just the opposite, his whole body was pleasantly warm that seemed to continually rise, coming from somewhere near his fast-beating heart. Probably the blood circulation got quicker and warmed him up.

Shikamaru's body temperature seemed to be greatly appreciated by Ino who scooted a bit closer to him, pressing face to the crook of his shoulder and squeezing slim arms that went around his neck, drawing herself even closer. He responded by supporting her with one hand on her shoulders and the other leisurely draped over her waist.

_She has to be acting on instinct. Must've been really cold, poor thing._ Shikamaru thought, watching a content expression gradually appear on her face.

He felt pretty much like some hero from fairytales or at least the main male character from chick flicks. Slipping in the middle of the night into the princess's bed, only to shield her from cold. Never mind he was still ill.

His eyelids gradually dropping, Shikamaru was barely aware that his hold on Ino got even tighter, just as hers and it was quite obvious that neither of them had the intention of letting go during the night.

Really, why did he say this couch was uncomfortable, again? It wasn't bad at all...In fact, it was pretty much perfect.

Looks like it was just as it was supposed to be.

And Shikamaru wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

A/N: Yay, Christmas carols! Who doesn't love them? Oh, and the remake of the 'Jingle bells' song- it was purely made by my friends and me. Don't you dare steal it. 

Often, when I wake up my nose is frozen and the rest of my body is warm. It's annoying.

Did anyone really notice that Shikamaru and Ino are acting like a married couple here? Or that I tried to make it like that?


	4. Chapter 03: Fate

A/N: I'm so sorry, everyone. I kow, this story should be finished by now- however, due to some unexpected circumstances, it got a bit delyed. I'm really sorry. It should be finished soon, though. In the next week or so.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

_Fate leads the willing, and drags along who resist_

* * *

Ino glanced at the clock for what seemed a thousandth time for the past hour. It was already over forty minutes past the time she usually finished her work and yet, she was still stuck behind the counter, being forced to work an extra hour or maybe even two to be able to have a week off, for the last week this year. 

Business was always slow at this time of the year- with her mother being a florist, Ino knew it perfectly well. The only plants people bought at winter were Christmas trees, poinsettias and mistletoes. Flower shops don't specialize in such kinds and even though there were some plants that served as Christmas decorations, they weren't very popular.

In fact, it was almost illogical for Ino to keep the flower shops open at winter, much less force a young, beautiful girl to spend half a day, waiting for few customers to step in and then out, rarely buying anything.

The heroine in the thick book in her hands was about to kick her cheating boyfriend once and for all from her home and life (the bastard deserved much more than that!) and the tension and action in the storyline started to rise when the same bastard grabbed her hand, immobilizing the heroine and pushing her onto the bed. He began to confess his every single sin, just to torment the poor woman more, the storyline became clearer and...And...

And Ino couldn't concentrate at all, reading the same sentence over and over again, trying her best to understand the sense (_'Stop thinking about him already and pay attention!'_) but she just couldn't.

The scene kept playing inside her mind continuously- how she woke up today's morning, feeling pleasantly warm and secure and how she discovered the source of this feeling, tightly pressed against her own body.

The book was firmly closed and Ino's mind wandered off, trying to regain the wonderful feeling she got after waking up- and gave up immediately. Without Shikamaru, it was just no use.

'_Idiot.'_ Something inside her head chimed. _'Don't let one, short moment get to you. He was probably sleepwalking or something like that. Sakura told you already-'._

The bell above the wooden door ringed and two young, good-looking men entered, heading straight for the counter, not bothering to even look around a bit. The reason for their visit was rather..._Obvious_.

Inwardly, Ino sighed and quickly glanced at the clock. Fifteen minutes to kill.

She put on her best, professional and friendly smile. "Hello. Can I help you?"

The younger, somewhat sweeter looking stepped before his brother, his coat touching the counter. "Actually, _we _wanted to help you. You looked pretty bored just now and we thought you might use some entertainment."

_Pretty cheap._ Ino judged critically, not letting her expression change, even for a second. "Thanks a lot, but I'm almost done for today. And just so you know, I wasn't bored until you came." The arrogance was barely audible in her voice but it was there, with no doubt. As well as impatience, caused by another glance to the clock.

"You're finishing soon? That's even better. Now, don't be so stubborn, we can have some fun. Make you relax after a day of hard work and-"

"_Excuse me_, sir but in case you didn't notice, this is a flower shop. We sell flowers here, not dates. So, if you have no intention of purchasing a plant, leave." For bigger effect, her both hands slammed onto the counter and she leaned a bit towards them, narrowing her eyes.

The older, taller guy, leaned to her as well, successfully hiding her face behind his head for anyone outside the flower shop to see.

And that's what Shikamaru saw, standing on the sidewalk just outside the shop, with snow gently falling on him.

His brows immediately furrowed slightly at the scene before him and he stared for a bit disapprovingly, before turning around and walking back to his apartment.

Ino was late almost an hour and he decided to go and look for her in the nearby area. He could clearly remember her saying that the shop she worked in, was just few steps away from his apartment. Apparently, it was true.

Too bad she didn't bother to inform him _why_ she would be late today; it would surely spare him a lot of worries and walking in a chilly, winter air.

Then again, he learned two new things about Ino: She had a boyfriend.

Her boyfriend was handsome and tall.

'_Of course. It's to be expected, idiot.'_ A more sarcastic and grumpy side of him commented lightly. _'Such an attractive woman wouldn't be single, not even for a second in her life.'_

It was logical and sensible. Everything made perfect sense; just the way he liked it.

So, why the hell, was he so damn annoyed?

* * *

"What are you doing?" The calm question was directed to Shikamaru, who was currently sprawled comfortably on his bed, with pillows probing him so that he could look onto the chessboard, without straining his neck. 

"Playing chess." Came the immediate and blunt reply and Ino almost rolled her eyes in irritation. Really, what was with men today that made her feel so...so..._annoyed_?

"If you're feeling that well, why won't you help me with dinner?"

"I'm not feeling well at all." He replied, not taking his eyes off the board for even a second. "My brain's still sharp but my body is weak."

"Cutting carrots isn't very exhausting, you know. It's almost like moving those pieces, only you move a knife. Come, it'll be good for you."

"I want to finish this game." Shikamaru insisted, moving the black pawn forward.

"You have time until I'm out of the bathroom."

_Bad move_, he frowned, looking at the board. The black pawn was blocking the king and now, the king was almost fully exposed. He should've gone with the bishop instead...

The sound of flushed water filled the room and soon, the bathroom door opened. "Have I told you, you have a nice bathroom? I expected it to be much more filthy, like the rest of your house."

"I told you I barely have strength to go to the bathroom." Shikamaru muttered absentmindedly, staring at the board hopelessly. Not far from the checkmate.

Ino froze, granting him a look where fear was mixed with suspense. "You mean...all that time, when you were sweating in you fever, you weren't even washing yourself?!"

"N-Of course I was!" It was partially true, anyway. He did wash the..._essential_ parts of his body, leaving less important (like hair) unattended for the time being.

Something tugged at his arm. "Change of the plans. You're going to shower, take a bath, _anything_, first. Then we'll cook dinner."

Grumpily, Shikamaru left, casting one, last look at the board left behind. He hated leaving his game unfinished.

Oh, well. The black had almost no chance of winning. It was just a matter of time when they'd lose.

"Well, about time." Ino eyed him approvingly, when he stepped out, drying his hair in a fresh, white towel. "I was sick of watching you only lie around, not doing anything productive. You're not even that ill anymore."

"Don't judge a book by its' cover." He mumbled, letting the towel fall freely on his shoulders. "I was much worse that you could imagine." That was true; he was feeling worse whenever he stared at her cheerful face and bright, blue eyes.

He didn't _want_ to be healthy yet.

"So, what should I do?" He asked tiredly, carefully avoiding her eyes and looking around the kitchen. A pot was already boiling on the stove.

"You're too late, I did everything already."

"Then I'm going to sleep." Shikamaru announced tiredly, before heading to his bed. The warm shower made him really drowsy.

Ino watched his slouching form with concern for a while, before the bell rang and she went to answer it. The noise that greeted her, was certainly something unexpected.

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open. "I'm dreaming." He whispered to the empty room, when the same noise reached him, created by a choir of awfully familiar voices. "I'm dreaming and this is a nightmare." The statement was followed by a doubtful sigh.

The door burst open in the next second, with Naruto proudly showing off his broken arm to the world, followed closely by Sakura, Ino and Chouji.

"Hey there, lazy! Enjoyed your few days of freedom?" Naruto cheerfully inquired, plopping on his bed and grinning at the sour look that spread all over the spiky-haired man.

"The trip was certainly exciting, am I right?" The Nara answered with a question of his own, eyeing Naruto's bandage.

Naruto's grin grew wider and even Sakura and Ino shared a small smile. "You bet it was! I skied from the highest mountain because Sakura-chan was too scared and I wanted to show her it's safe..."

A light slap on the arm prevented him from saying more. "I _wasn't_ scared, idiot, how many times do I need to repeat that? I _knew_ it was simply dangerous."

"It was fun, though..."

Everyone laughed at the whining tone and Shikamaru's lips quirked in a small smile, watching the happy couple tease each other, among Ino's and Chouji's laughter.

His eyes lingered on the female blonde longer, briefly wondering if she was just as happy as now, when being with her boyfriend.

Naruto's laughter died and he looked at Shikamaru, smirking. He exchanged quick, almost unnoticeable looks with Chouji.

"Sakura-chaaan...I'm thirsty. Bring me a glass of water, please?"

"Sure, Naruto. Ano...Shikamaru, where do you keep glasses?"

"I'll show you!" Ino exclaimed suddenly. "I know his house better than him already!" Both woman left, Ino reporting cheerfully in what state his apartment was and how incredibly lazy the owner of it had to be to create such state.

Chouji carefully closed the door after them, his lips stretching in a smirk, matching Naruto's. This time, the two of them (a fact Shikamaru hated to admit as it was giving him a very _baaad_ feeling somewhere inside his gut) exchanged sly glances.

"What are you two planning?" He asked suspiciously, hands raising instinctively when Chouji neared him.

The plump man winked at his lazy friend. "You'll need it, trust us."

"What exactly will I need-...Oh no. No, Chouji. Take it off!"

There was a mistletoe hanging above his head, securely tied in a tight knot.

"Don't tell me you came here just to..."

"Yep." Naruto nodded energetically. "We'll see each other in three days, me and Sakura are hosting a party on Christmas Eve, remember?"

He did remember. "Damn you, Naruto-"

The door to his bedroom opened, revealing a blonde and her pink-haired friend.

"I changed my mind about the water, Sakura-chan." The blonde grinned sheepishly, pushing the females out of the room gently. "I think I'd rather have a nice, warm tea and dinner in our house."

"Naruto, you idiot. You could've told me before!" Sakura sighed, handing Ino the glass filled with liquid. "You're lucky you're injured."

"We'll be off then. Bye, Shikamaru! Take care!"

"Good luck!" – The only answer Chouji got for that statement, was a firm glare.

"I'll see you off." Ino offered, following them to the hall and towards the door.

Shikamaru exhaled and raised himself, fingers busily untying the knot. That was just too awkward for his tastes.

"It's already so late..." Ino's voice trailed from the hallway. "I think I'll be leaving soon too. You have dinner in the kitchen, warm it up if you feel hungry."

"Sure." He muttered, his hands still rapidly working on the tie. _Almost..._

"What are you doing?"

The Nara hid his hands under the bed sheet. "Nothing."

Ino's feet made a soft sound as she moved gracefully towards him. "You're kinda flushed. Do you have a slight fever, perhaps?"

Before Shikamaru could form an answer or do anything else, cold fingers made contact with his skin again. He froze, one thought ringing in his mind:

_Mistletoe, mistletoe, mistletoe, mistletoe..._

"Doesn't seem like it." She murmured softly, staring into his eyes. Shikamaru blinked at her, eyes wide and innocent.

Surprisingly, Ino didn't retreat her hand after assuring herself that the flush on his face wasn't cause by the illness. Instead, she moved it a bit higher, gently running fingers though loose and still wet strands. She was closer than ever before. He could clearly see the way her orbs glittered.

"Look..." she whispered, her breath fanning his suddenly dry mouth. "A mistletoe...Guess it's a must, huh?"

Hesitatingly, she cocked her head and leaned towards him, eyes slowly closing. Acting on pure instinct, Shikamaru did precisely the same, their lips touching in what seemed a perfect kiss.

Few seconds later, the position of their bodies changed, when Ino brought one her knee onto his bed, to steady herself and her arms went around his neck, shifting a part of her body weight on him.

His arms sneaked behind her, both resting on her shoulders and gently pushing her closer to him, as Shikamaru savored the taste of her mouth.

_Sweet and enchanting._

His arms started to slowly move downwards, softly caressing her both sides, until they were firmly resting on her hips.

And that's the moment Ino chose to hastily break the kiss and take few stumbling steps backwards, one hand touching pink lips delicately, while blue eyes stared at him, wide with fear and confusion.

"I-I...I..." She took more unsure step before turning around and fleeing out of his apartment. Soon, only her shoes echoed as the blonde was running downstairs.

Maybe at that time he should run after her, just like it would happen in an ordinary chick flick or cheesy romance. However, his reasonable brain told him there's no need to rush things; they'd see each other soon. If not on that party, then he'd visit her in the flower shop.

Either way, for one night it was enough.

Shikamaru huffed, startled and with his heart beating wildly inside his ribs. He fell on his pillows, exhausted and still feeling the adrenaline rush in his veins.

His eyes closed and a small smile stretched his lips. Whatever happened just now, it was surely enjoyable and pleasant...

_It was only a mistletoe..._

...And he went to sleep happy as hell.

The state of happiness still lasted inside his unconscious body, when a shrill doorbell disturbed the night silence hours later, efficiently waking up Shikamaru from his dream. With a sleepy smile, he opened the door, revealing a young policeman officer outside.

The smile faded and his gaze sharpened.

"Excuse me, sir...do you happen to know someone named Ino Yamanaka?" The officer politely asked.

"Yes..." Shikamaru answered, dread slowly seeping into him and increasing the neat of his heart. "Did something happen?"

"She had an accident, not so far from your house. Got hit by a car and she's currently in the hospital. I'm not sure how serious it is...Her condition was critical in the ambulance."

He swallowed, his mind already working fast. " But...Why would you think she's...connected to me? We only met just few days ago...Why did you come to me?"

The men before him hesitated. "Well...We found your photo with name and address inside her wallet." He handed him a small piece of paper to examine.

He was sleeping there, his mouth slightly open. It was taken about two-three days ago- when his illness was fully developed. There was an unhealthy flush on his face, his shirt was all ruffled and droplets of sweat shone on his forehead and neck.

Behind the photo, just above his name, was a small, red heart drawn.

"Sir? Are you saying she's not close to you in any way?" The small question brought him out of the stunned daze.

Shikamaru looked up at the policeman, eyes widening rapidly when the full impact of how serious the situation is, hit him. He looked behind him, all around his house.

Her presence could be felt all over it, from the neatly mopped floor to the new bed sheets on the couch. Her scent- and the scent of cooked meals- still could be detected all over the house. The memories they made and so many more they could still make...

Shikamaru didn't want to lose any of it.

"She is." He whispered in a strained voice, bowing his head down so that the officer couldn't read the emotions that (he was sure of it) could be clearly seen in his face. "She's as close to me as it's ever possible."

* * *

What fanfic would it be with no drama and cliffhanger? Not a good one, I guess. 

I read recently that when we're in love it's almost the same as if we were on drugs. And when we are rejected by someone we love- or can't see it- it's as if we were addicted and without a drug. Get what I'm saying? Love sure is powerful.

Homemade cookies for everyone who reviewed. I love you all.

Wee, one more chapter and a damn, short epilogue to go. Bear with this story a bit longer, please.


	5. Chapter 04: Miracle

A/N: Yay, the last chapter (save for uber-short epilogue)! I hope you'll like it. Not a good theme for 'Miracle', but meh. Nothing more to say here.

_Fate brings you together, but it's still up to you to make it happen._

* * *

_**Silent Night, Holy night,**_

_**All is calm, all is bright,**_

The waiting room in the hospital was empty and quiet, save for one, lone figure that sat in the corner, hands tucked deeply inside pockets.

_**Round yon Virgin Mother and Child,**_

_**Holy Infant so tender and mild,**_

The man sat unmoving for two hours straight already, all the time listening to the soothing sounds of old, traditional carols that echoed over the whole building through the loudspeakers. Few nurses and doctors passed him, casting a brief, worried look, but that's all. He was alone.

_**Sleep in heavenly peace,**_

_**Sleep in Heavenly peace...**_

"Here." A female voice rang somewhere above him and he lifted his bowed head only to see a cup of steaming tea, handed to him by a pink-haired woman. "I have to remind you, you're freshly cured from cold."

Shikamaru mumbled a quiet thanks before sipping the burning liquid. Sakura watched him with concern. "How is she? Naruto went to try and find out something more."

The dark-haired man sighed, placing his other hand around the cup, in an attempt to warm up a bit, even though the hospital wasn't so cold.

He was freezing with fear on the inside.

"I don't know. She's alive and no internal organs were damaged...apparently, the only wound was the injury on her head. She wasn't hit strongly but, unfortunately, she hit a lamp post or something...They're examining her."

Sakura nodded with understanding, taking a seat beside the man. A moment of silence passed.

"Sakura! Shikamaru!" The blonde shouted, albeit a bit quieter than usual, running over to them and waving energetically.

Sakura stood up swiftly and Shikamaru looked at him, alarmed.

"Naruto! Well? What did you find out?"

"...Nothing, actually." The blonde gave a tiny, sheepish smile.

Shikamaru slumped.

Sakura scowled. "Then why did you made such an entry, idiot?"

"I wanted to make sure you notice me..."

"You and your stupid complexes..." Sakura hissed, pulling at Naruto's ear. "It's a hospital. Everyone here is tensed, waiting for the news about people...important to them" – a quick glance to Shikamaru- " You can't just barge in like that. Try to grasp the atmosphere!"

Shikamaru sighed, half-listening to the hushed bickering beside him. "Sakura..."

The Haruno stopped, her attention fully abandoning Naruto and focusing on Shikamaru again. "Yes?"

"Are damages to head...always really serious and life-threatening?"

Her doctors' spirit took control over her and Sakura quickly analyzed the problem, before speaking in a cold, professional tone. "Of course. It can cause paralysis of whole body, amnesia and death too. Our head is where our memories are kept and the center of our nerves-"

A strong elbow jammed into her ribs, successfully making her lose oxygen. Sakura huffed, glaring at Naruto. "What the hell-"

"Sakura-chan...it's not helping." Both of them looked over to their companion, who, during Sakura's speech, buried his face in his palms, the cup long forgotten on the seat beside him.

"D-Don't worry, Shikamaru! I'm sure it's not _that _serious! It happens rarely, you know. And Ino has a hard head!" Sakura smiled slightly, a nervous and unsure smile. "Besides, there's nothing we can do. We have to wait."

The Nara nodded, silently agreeing. Heavy silence fell on them again.

Shikamaru felt his mind began to wander, leaving the topic of Ino's current state and reminiscing on her state before today's horrible night...

How she was always energetic and lively...

How she kissed him and he kissed her back...

How she kissed that damn pretty-boy in her flower shop...

"Sakura..." He hesitated, resisting the urge to scratch the back of his head or light a cigarette. "Can I ask you something about Ino?"

"Of course." The female looked at him with surprise, startled when the honest, indifferent Shikamaru started fidgeting.

"Does Ino have a boyfriend?"

The words left his mouth in a rush and Sakura couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "No. She was on few dates but nothing serious, ever since she left high school."

"Why not?"

"Well... Truth to be told, she had an eye on you for quite some time."

Shikamaru's eyes turned round. "What? But...we never met before!"

"Oh, I'm quite sure you did. Not personally, but you passed each other on high school hallways. All of us went to the same school, even if we weren't close friends there."

"Yea! Me and Sakura-chan met only at the end of the last school year! And it was only by a coincidence!" Naruto piped in, for the first time taking part in their discussion.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Yea, well...No wonder you two didn't meet. She was a cheerleader, top student, one of the most popular girls...And you were, well..."

"The president of chess club, had the lowest grades throughout all the years, except last when you were threatened by Asuma-sensei...And you weren't popular at all." Naruto interrupted, smiling.

"Exactly." Sakura nodded, while Shikamaru slumped a bit more in his chair, grumpily muttering '_troublesome_' over and over. "Anyway, remember the dance at the end of high school?"

"How could I forget?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Naruto and Kiba got drunk and set almost the whole school on fire."

Both, Sakura and Shikamaru glanced accusingly at the blonde.

"It's Kiba's fault! He set me up!"

"Riiiiight..." Sakura muttered. "Back to the topic. At that time, everyone started panicking, remember? Except you, of course. You showed the exit and made sure everyone was safe outside before evacuating yourself. Thanks to you, everyone got out of it without a scratch!"

"If only I weren't drunk, I could do it too!" Naruto interrupted, earning himself another glare. He shut his mouth. "Alright, I get the hint."

"Now, Ino's boyfriend just left her, alone, in the center of all that panic. She didn't know what to do until you came and gave everyone instructions. She was really, really impressed then."

The man felt a blush creep to the tips of his ears and he played with his fingers a bit. "Well, everyone was being troublesome, and I had to do something..."

"The next day, Ino broke up with her boyfriend, saying he's a chicken and that she's looking for a 'real man'. However, high school ended and she had no lead to you. And then, about a year or so ago, we met through Naruto and, of course, I told it to Ino. We were- and still are- best friends, you know."

He frowned, processing all the information he got earlier. "A year ago? But that's...a bit long. Why didn't I meet her before?"

"Don't think Ino didn't try. She pestered me to set you up to a double date: Me and Naruto, you and Ino. However, Naruto told me that in high school one girl, Temari, wanted to go on a date with you and you told her that you aren't interested in 'loud, bossy blondes' only quiet, humble girls. So, I told her just that."

"What?" Shikamaru stuttered, eyes widening even more, if it's possible. "Well, it's true that I...but...Ino's different, you know..."

"Well, I wanted to tell her that you're gay. Ino is really stubborn when it comes to getting something- or someone- she wants." Naruto exclaimed, "But Sakura-chan wouldn't let me."

Shikamaru mentally thanked God or whoever's up there, for making someone as reasonable and sensible as Sakura, Naruto's girlfriend.

"Excuse me."

All three of them shot up from their seats, when they saw a tall doctor, looking down on them with a gentle smile.

"How's Ino?" Naruto and Sakura chorused, with Naruto practically hanging on the doctor's arm. Shikamaru just stood, paralyzed, eyes staring at the doctor's mouth, waiting for the words to come out.

The man delicately pulled Naruto off his arm. "She seems to be fine. It's a miracle, there's nothing serious wrong with her, she's only a bit dazed. We were sure she'd be at least paralyzed, if not in coma...But I guess miracles do happen, especially at Christmas...you may visit her."

_**Silent Night, Holy night,**_

_**All is calm, all is bright,**_

Shikamaru made a start towards the big, white door, when a firm hand on his sleeve stopped him. He turned around, only to glance into Sakura's deadly serious eyes.

"Shikamaru, listen. If you really think something might work out between you and Ino, go ahead and try. But if you're not one hundred percent sure...Don't give her false hope. It's the worst you can do."

The man gave her a crooked smile before pushing the door open and entering the room.

Naruto slung his arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Come on, Sakura-chan. Let's get going. I have a feeling we aren't needed here anymore..."

"Yea...Let's go home."

"Damn!" Naruto suddenly cursed, slapping his forehead. "I forgot to ask him if the mistletoe helped!"

"What mistletoe?" Sakura asked, looking at her boyfriend confusedly.

Naruto sweat-dropped. "Uh...I'll explain as we ride home, alright?"

_**Sleep in heavenly peace,**_

_**Sleep in Heavenly peace...**_

"What are you doing here?" Ino asked, incredulously looking at the man who just entered her room.

"A girl comes out of my house and gets injured. You don't think I could let it go, just like that, do you?"

He paused, examining her sitting figure, eyes stopping briefly at the bandage on her head. "How are you feeling?"

"...As fine as I ever could, after being hit by a car."

A bit awkward silence, when both of them refused to look into each other eyes.

"How did it happen?" Shikamaru asked finally, in lack of anything better to say. He mentally kicked himself.

"I don't really remember that well. I can remember the sound of brakes, and some bright lights... I was a bit...absentminded."

_Of course_, Shikamaru thought, inevitably coming back to the moments before the accident. _That kiss had quite an effect on me as well._

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the nurse giving him discreet signs that his time of visiting comes to an end.

"You know, Ino..." He said, looking down at his hands. "If I was there, I would protect you. Even at the cost of my own life."

Ino's heart increased its' beats and a hot blood flowed onto her usually pale cheeks. She stayed silent.

"Was that kiss...Only to fulfill the tradition or did you want to give me some hints about what could possibly happen between us?" Shikamaru continued, determined to clear up things here and now.

"I wanted to show you, at least briefly, what I think of you and what I want to do with you. I think you're really, really good-looking...And you're a very nice guy." Ino summarized, hands gripping her bed sheets.

Shikamaru willed all the uneasiness he felt to go away. "So, this puts us where, on the scale of relationships?" He asked lazily, still looking onto his hands.

Ino blinked her big, blue eyes at him. "What do you mean, where? You don't like energetic, loud blondes, remember? You think the whole female population is troublesome."

_Looks like Sakura told her everything_, he cringed.. "Well, yea...But you're different, Ino. You're troublesome, sure, but unlike any other women...You're the only one who's worth the trouble."

Ino's eyes glittered with happiness and he allowed himself a small, purely happy smile.

He put his hands on top of hers, slowly caressing to relive the tension and make them let go the sheets. "So, what do you say, Ino: Will you be my girlfriend?"

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A/N: I really, really have to stop putting the heroes in the hospital at the end of my fanfics. I can't help it, though. I find it sweet when one is injured and the other is by her/his side, waiting...Oh, the cuteness. 

whenever i'm scared or stressed, i'm cold. Especially my hands. So, that's why I wrote Shika feels the same. --- pointless.

There's still the epilogue. The more you review, the sooner it gets posted. Oh, and free...err...mints for everyone who reviews. (I adore mints.)

MERRY CHRI- _gets hit by a random shoe, since there's no snow now_- Alright, I get the hint. Snowflakes for everyone who reviewed the last chapter!


	6. Chapter 05: Together

A/N: This is it. Go on, read it and read my author's note at the end.

_We came to the world not by finding someone perfect to love, BUT to learn how to love an imperfect person perfectly._ _

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**_I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..._**

The snowflakes glittered in the pale moonlight as they slowly fell down from heavens onto the already thick layer of snow, all over the city.

"So beautiful." Ino whispered to no one, sticking out her arm out of the open window. Few snowflakes fell right in the center of her palm, melting instantly.

"True. If it keeps that way, we'll be having a wonderful Christmas." A hushed voice echoed in her ears, warm breath caressing skin.

Ino closed her eyes, leaning backwards and feeling strong, lean arms embrace her around her waist. "It's going to be our first Christmas together." She said dreamily, putting her arms on his.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes with a smile. "Not surprising since we became a couple just three days ago."

Ino was signed out of the hospital really quick, much to her intent persuading. The doctors had no objections, except for insisting on her staying in bed for the next days. Ino told them that: like hell she would stay in bed, when Sakura's party is so soon and...that was it.

Ino's soft fingertips brushed delicately on his skin and he closed his eyes briefly, just enjoying the touch as much as he could.

Suddenly, the feeling stopped. "Shikamaru..." Ino whispered, in an uncharacteristically serious and quiet tone.

His arms tightened on pure reflex, pulling her closer to him. "Yea?"

"I was wondering...If we weren't taking it too fast."

He stayed silent, silently asking for explanation.

"I mean, we _did_ meet just recently and I'm already living with you... I mean, shouldn't we go on few dates first or something like that?"

He analyzed her words carefully. "Is it because of what your father said in hospital?"

The woman's cheeks colored lightly. "Perhaps a bit. He was a bit right, about us taking things too rapidly."

Shikamaru grimaced a bit. "Actually, we're not taking full advantage of living together. It's less troublesome that way. You have closer to the flower shop and your parents, I don't have to walk you home or something...And we do get to spend more time together."

"I know, only it does sound a bit strange when you think about it. Like, something's not right."

"We can go on dates, no matter if we live together or not. It makes no difference. Besides, we're adults not some teenagers with raging hormones. Our feelings are more mature, stronger and we don't have so many doubts."

Ino smiled slightly, cuddling to Shikamaru's warm body. "It makes sense, now that you think about it. It looks like it was love at first sight."

"Or we're just destined to be together." Shikamaru replied, grimacing at how cliche it all sounded. "Wait, not like that. It sounds too cheesy."

A moment of comfortable silence passed and Shikamaru rested his chin on the top of her head.

"It's not that bad living with me, is it?"

"Of course not, lazy. When you're healthy with no excuses to lie around all day, it's really pleasant." The sentence ended with a giggle from Ino and a displeased huff from Shikamaru.

"Ne, Shikamaru? Tomorrow's Christmas Eve and there's party at Naruto's. We're going together, right?"

"Sure." He answered simply, taking few cautious steps backwards before landing on the couch, with Ino on his laps.

"But you know, together as in... Our first going out as an official couple, right?"

Shikamaru settled for an approving sound, his face already lightly buried in Ino's blonde locks, breathing deeply her scent. He shifted a bit, arranging their positions so that they were both comfortably sprawled on the couch, bodies tightly pressed against each other.

The snow continued to fall, just like it had for ages and just like it will for the next centuries.

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A/N: Well... this is it. My christmas fanfic, 'Believing' has officially ended. Once and for all. And damn, I think I'm close to tears. Everytime I finish a story, it feels as if a small, important part of me vanished... and everytime I start a new story, I feel as if starting a new era in my life. Speaking of which, I might start a new one soon... After updating some of my ongoing stories. 

I must say, I expected it to be much, much better. I never thought it would turn out this bad...I hoped I could do better. Seems like I need more practice.

I wanted it to be a heart-warming story, sweet, pure etc- Because it's for christmas. I hope I managed to do that.

Thank you all for your support, by reviewing and reading- however, mostly for the reviews. I love you all.

And my wonderful beta-reader, Francesca. I love you too.

I know I didn't manage to end it in time, like I promised. Sorry. Thankyou for continueing reading it neverthless. Honestly, thank you very, very much. As a gift (although, a poor one) visit my profile and look for the link posted there. I started drawing fanarts and one of them is a ShikaIno drawing...not good, but a ShikaIno nonetheless.


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